Real Christianity

I recently began reading "Real Christianity"- by William Wilberforce and revised and updated by Bob Beltz.  Wow - if you have not read this book seriously consider it.  I really can't believe that in my years of early education we did not study Wilberforce's role in the fight to abolish slave trade in England.   Seeing the movie  Amazing Grace was eye opening to say the least and then I picked up the book so I could take part in a summer book discussion at church.  

This is an amazingly introspective book and what gets me is that even though he wrote the book in 1797, it is very applicable now.  Wilberforce believed that faith was everyone's business and "the advance or decline of faith is so intimately connected to the welfare of a society that it should be of particular interest to a politician."   In this book he is not really trying to "convince skeptics or answer the questions unbelievers seem to ask, but to rather point out some of the problems with the beliefs and actions of those who already claim to be Christians."

He does so - point by point.

Thanks to the fact that Beltz has revised the book I can understand it!  I know some of the meaning may be different but the ideas are still life changing.  Today I was reading the introduction and first chapter " The State of Contemporary Christianity".  He talks about authentic faith versus a cultural Christian faith and how important the Bible is to what we believe and how what we believe determines how we live. 

Even those who would not call themselves Christians must consider what this man has to say - I think because he was, in my opinion a hero of modern history.  Millions of lives were changed as a result of William Wilberforce's desire to change the society he lived in.  The motivation behind his love, passion and determination was rooted in his "authentic faith".

"An authentic faith requires an honesty of mind, the consistent use of the mean of knowledge and instruction, the humility that fosters a desire to be instructed, and an unprejudiced conclusion about what this inquiry reveals.  If we approach the study of the Bible this way, God fulfills His promises.  If we seek and keep on seeking, we will find; if we ask and keep on asking, we will receive; if we knock and keep on knocking, the door to truth will be opened.  How can we refuse an offer like this?"